Window lock



N. C. NEMETH WINDOW LOCK Filed Sept. 5, 1968 maria/2146791 wn I Sept. 8, 1970 0 Wm 4 e n w M L M 0 a4 m .M. N

United States Patent 3,527,489 WINDOW LOCK Nicholas C. Nemeth, 7324 Beverly St, Overland Park, Kans. 66204 Filed Sept. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 756,823 Int. Cl. Ec 19/18 U.S. Cl. 292288 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A window lock for use in connection with sash-type windows having upper and lower sashes slidably movable in parallel vertical grooves of a window frame, said lock comprising a bracket having a pair of oppositely facing jaws adapted to be engaged respectively with one of said sashes and with the distal face of the frame groove of the other sash, whereby to secure the sash so engaged against movement, and by obstructing the groove of the other sash, to prohibit or limit movement of said other sash.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in window locks, and has particular reference to locks for sash-type window constructions.

The principal object of the present invention is the prm vision of a window lock which is operable to secure the upper sash of a sash-type window against movement in either an open or a closed position, and simultaneously either to secure the lower sash closed or to permit opening thereof to a predetermined and limited degree. For example, it can be set to allow raising of the lower sash a small distance, say two or three inches, as may be necessary or desirable for fresh air and ventilation, but to prevent raising thereof to any greater degree, so that a prowler cannot gain unauthorized entry to the building. At the same time, it also locks the upper sash against movement, either in a closed position or in a slightly open position, as may be desired.

Another object is the provision of a window lock of the character described consisting of a small, self-contained unit which requires no permanent attaching means for connecting it to the window sashes or frame, such as bolts, screws, nails or the like, which requires no alteration or modification of the window structure itself, and which may readily be used at either side of a window, or transferred from one window to another.

A further object is the provision of a window lock of the character described which is extremely secure, and which cannot be shaken or vibrated loose.

Generally, the above objects areaecomplished by the provision of a window lock consisting of a U-shaped bracket pivoted to permit the legs thereof to move toward and from each other, a pair of jaws mounted respectively on the distal faces of said bracket legs, one of said jaws being adapted to engage the inner face of the upper window sash and the other jaw being adapted to engage the distal wall of the frame groove in which the lower window sash moves, and resilient means operable to urge said bracket legs forcibly apart to secure the bracket in position.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary inside elevational View of a sash window construction with a window lock embodying the present invention applied operatively thereto,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII of FIG. 1,

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FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line III-III of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective vi w of the lock only, shown in its open or released position.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies generally to a sash-type window construction including a window frame 4, an upper sash 6, and a lower sash 8, said window construction being shown fragmentarily in FIGS. 1-3. The window is shown in its closed position, in which the lower rail 10 of the upper sash mates in side-by-side relation with the upper rail 12 of the lower sash, as best shown in FIG. 2. The vertical side edges of the lower sash are carried for vertical sliding movement in sash grooves 14 formed between ribs 16 and 18 fixed to the frame (only one side of the window being shown), and the upper sash is similarly slidable in sash grooves 20 formed between ribs 18 and 22 of the frame. Thus the sashes are moved into vertically overlapping relation whenever the window is opened by raising the lower sash, lowering the upper sash, or both. The weight of the lower sash is supported by a coil spring 24 at each side thereof (one shown). Said spring extends vertically in groove 14, being attached at its lower end to sash 8 and at its upper end to the window frame, and is enclosed by a sheet metal channel 26 disposed midway between ribs 16 and 18 defining said groove. The corresponding vertical edge of sash 8 is of course grooved at 28 to accommodate said spring channel. Similarly, upper sash 6 may be supported by a spring 30 disposed in sash groove 20 and enclosed by a channel 32 accommodated in a groove 34 formed in the vertical edge of said sash.

The window lock forming the subject matter of the present invention is indicated generally at 36 and constitutes a generally U-shaped bracket formed of sheet metal thick enough to be substantially rigid and having a base portion 38 and a pair of legs 40 and 42. Base 38 and leg 40 are rigidly associated at right angles to each other, being integral parts of a single sheet of metal. Leg 42 is pivotally connected to base 38, at the edge thereof opposite to that from which leg 40 extends, by means of hinge 44, the axis of said hinge being parallel to the axis of the bracket. A pair of generally planar jaw plates 46 and 48 are affixed respectively to the distal sides of legs 40 and 42, along free edge portions thereof. Said Leg 42 extends past the axis of hinge 44 in a direction away from jaw 48 carried thereby, and is angled to overlie the outer surface of bracket base 38. Afifixed to this extended portion of leg 42, as by rivets 52, is one end of a lever 54 having the form of a flat leaf spring. Said lever is long enough to intersect the extended plane of bracket leg 40 when pivoted in that direction, and has a hole 56 formed therethrough adjacent its free end. A latch member 58 constituting an elongated leaf spring is afiixed at one end to bracket leg 40, as by rivet 60, and extends outwardly at right angles from bracket base 38. Adjacent its outer end, spring 58 is first bent toward hinge 44 to form a latch tooth 62, and then angled obliquely in the opposite direction to form a cam surface 64.

To use the lock, upper window sash 6 is first lowered slightly to the degree desired, in order to provide a ventilation opening at the top of the window, or it may be left fully elevated. Look 36 is then positioned at either side of the window, above top rail 12 of lower sash 8, and at a position to be engaged by said rail when the lower sash is raised to any predetermined slight degree. The lock is positioned so that the axis of its bracket is parallel to the vertical side of the window, and with legs 40 and 42 thereof projecting toward the window frame, with jaw 48 of leg 42 engaging the inner face of upper sash 6, and jaw 46 of leg 40 engaging the inner surface of rib 16 of the window frame, as best shown in FIG. 3. Legs 40 and 42 are of unequal lengths, as shown, to permit the serrated faces of the jaws to be parallel when the jaws are so positioned. Spring lever 54 is then forced toward the window frame, thus forcing jaws 46 and 48 apart to press their serrated faces tightly against rib 16 and sash 6 respectively, until an edge of the lever bounding hole 56 thereof engages cam surface 64 of latch spring 58 and deflects said spring to allow tooth 62 to pass through hole 56 and snap into engagement with the outer face of lever 54. Lever 54 is substantially flexed when engagement of the latch occurs, as shown in FIG. 3, and hence thereafter exerts a continuous and substantial expansive force on the jaws to hold the lock securely in position.

With the lock thus secured in position, it will be seen that it obstructs the groove 14 of lower sash 8, so that said lower sash can be raised only until upper rail 12 thereof strikes the lock bracket. Also, it will be apparent that the lock can be set at any elevation in groove 14 to permit any desired degree of elevation of said lower sash. Thus, the lock is operable to permit a slight or limited elevation of the lower sash, to provide air circulation and ventilation whenever desired, with no danger that a prowler could open it still further to a degree suflicient to allow him unauthorized access to the interior of the building.

The lock, by engagement of its jaw 48 with upper sash 6, also secures said upper sash against movement, either upwardly or downwardly. Thus said upper sash may be locked either in its closed position, or in a slightly open position to provide a ventilation opening at the top of the window. The securing of the upper sash as well as limiting movement of the lower sash, rather than merely the latter, is extremely important since most sashtype windows are ordinarily locked in a fully closed position by a primary lock (not shown) consisting of cooperating members mounted respectively on sash rails and '12 and engageable to prevent relative movement of said rails. Thus if the present lock were positioned to permit limited elevation of the lower sash but did not at the same time secure the upper sash against movement, the primary lock being necessarily disengaged at this time, a prowler could gain access to the building simply by lowering the upper sash, or could lower the upper sash sufficiently to reach in and disengage lock 36, then raise the lower sash to any degree. The present lock 36, since it secures the upper sash as well as obstructing the lower sash, prevents these possibilities. The present lock is also capable of serving the purposes of the primary lock mentioned above in securing the window fully closed, by applying it directly above and in contact with top rail 12 of the lower sash when the window is fully closed.

The action of spring lever 54 can supply as great an expanding force on the jaws as may be desired, by selection of the flexure strength of said lever. Moreover, it supplies its operating force over a considerable degree of movement of leg 42 and jaw 48. This permits use of the lock on windows in which the spacing between rib 16 and the inner force of upper sash 6 may not be uniform, and also provides that if theserrations 50 of the jaws should gradually embed themselves more deeply in the members they engage, or even if said engaged members should yield slightly, spring lever 54 will take up the slack and preserve the tightness of the lock. Also, any attempt to dislodge the lock by moving the lower sash forcibly upwardly thereagainst is extremely unlikely to be successful, since this action tends to embed the jaw serrations still more deeply. The lock will not be loosened by vibration or shaking, due to the following action of spring lever 54. A lock 36 as shown could be used at each side of a window if desired, and a still greater degree of security thus obtained, although a single lock at one side of the window has been found adequate in most circumstances.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A window lock for use in connection with a window construction including upper and lower sashes "vertically tically overlapping relation when said lower sash is raised or said upper sash is lowered, said window lock comprising:

(a) a generally U-shaped bracket having a base portion and a pair of legs extending generally in the same direction from said base portion, said legs being relatively movable toward and from each other, said bracket being adapted to be positioned above said lower sash with its legs projecting horizontally toward the window frame,

(b) a pair of jaws mounted respectively on the distal sides of said bracket legs, whereby said jaws respectively engage the inner surface of said upper sash and the portion of the window frame defining the wall of the groove carrying said lower sash which is farthest from said upper sash, and

(c) operating means carried by said bracket and operable to urge the legs apart to force said jaws tightly against said window elements, said operating means including a resilient member carried by one of said legs and operable when resiliently deflected to urge its associated leg away from the other leg, and securing means carried by said other leg and operable to secure said resilient member releasably in said resiliently deflected position.

2. A window lock as recited in claim 1 wherein one ofsaid legs is rigidly associated with said base portion and the other of said legs is pivoted to said base portion on an axis transverse to the general extent of said leg,

, said resilient member comprising a resilient lever affixed References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 348,431 8/1886 Valentine 292288 1,857,958 5/1932 Huss 292288 2,524,940 10/1950 Surridge 292288 2,931,676 4/ 1960 Wroughton 292211 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner E. J. MoCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. 01. X.R. 292289 

